Folding door construction



Aug. 18, 1953 F. J. HOKE ET AL FOLDING DOOR CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 27, 1950 F. J. HOKE ET AL FOLDING DOOR CONSTRUCTION Aug. 18, 195 3 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 27, 1950 INVENTORS. Fkfi/vAJ/Ymf. BY Eur/r 11 [VET/Vol.05,

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Patented Aug. 18, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT "OFF-ICE "2,649,150 FOLDINGFDOOR CONSTRUCTION Frank j illok e anqjBalph W. Reynolds, 11m n.-

apolis, Ind., assignors' to 'Holcomb' & "Hoke Mfg. "00., 1110., Indianapolis, 'Ind., a corporation Afiplica'tionNovemb'er 27, 1950, Serial No.- 197,776

The present invention relates toa flexible'door or closure member particularly of that 'type which consists of a plurality of-articulated leaves or panels adapted to-fold upon'one another or to be extended from their folded: position to provide a closure for an opening.

More specifically the invention relatestothat type of closure wherein a lazy tong movement of the panels is provided'to permitof the'panels to fold upon one another into rather a compact unit when the openin is adapted to be uncovered.

One of the objects of the'inventionistoprovide an extremely light readily assembled structure dispensing with complicated parts'and using a minimum of material.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for enclosing the lazy tong structure at the top of the foldab'le do'or,=and a still further object of the invention is to provide'm'eans readily operable for securing'thefiexible covering to the lazy tong structure.

For the purpose of disclosi'ngthe invention an embodiment thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a plan view-of a'stru'cture-embodying our invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the panels forming-one of the pairs of lazy tong'structu're.

Fig. 3 is an elevation'of thestructure'with the covering material partially removed.

Fig. 4 is a plan view'similarto Fig. 1 with the closure collapsed.

Fig. 5 is a plan view similar to Fig. 'ZWith'the closure collapsed.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view of the trolley support and its associated track showing in detail the means for securing in position a Fig. 7 is a detail perspective partly brokenaway showing a modifi ation of the end of one of the end members of the door.

Fig. 8 is a detailed View showin more particularly the manner "of forming the hinge -joints and the manner of preventing the'pivot members from vertical displacement. p v

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal sectional detailed view showing the manner ofsecuring the flexible covering to the supporting plates.

Fig. 10 is an elevation of the securing'pin for holding the flexible coverin in' position.

Fig. 11 is a detailed view showing the manner of maintaining the door section in its closed position or in a positionadjaoent anopposite door section.

In the embodiment of 'thei'nventidh I'p'rovide a flexible closure includingplurality'of plirs of lazy tongs pivotally' connected at "their mid-section and the adjacent ends of e'ahpair being pivotally connected whereby "said 'closure ma'ybe extended and contracted.

In carrying out this structu'rq'refrr;gfnI6re particularly to Figs. 1 and 3, each 'p'a'i'r of t'ongs comprises what may be termede tbpbar l'iland a panel or plate l l spaced from and'below the respective bars. Thepair oftdngs are piyotally connected at theirmid-section and this-pivotal connection may comprise a hangerpin'l'i? which extends through the mid-section-of the bar l0 and tong plate ll. p I I In order to accommodate this'pin [2 in the tong plate H the plate is slit transversely as at the points 53 and the sides oftheplate are' thn bent outwardly to provide a pivot receiving o'pning. Ihere may be any numberof pairs of these lazy tongs and each pair is connected to theiadjacent pair of lazy tongs, the tong bar ID being connected to an adjacent tong bar bythe-pivota1 joint M and the tong plate I I being pivotally connected by hinge joints as at 15, theseihinge joints comprising interdigitatd hinged members as it through which extends apivot orhinge rod ll.

Spaced below the tong bars and-'plates there is provided a series-of hingedly connectedlower plates I 8, said lower platesbeingpaired with-the tong plates II respectively to lie in the same plane therewith. y l

To insure lower plate;or plates te-swinging with their upper pairedplates II and" maintain the same planetary relationtherewi-tn-the plates i l constituting one tong member-arerigidly connected to their respective paired plates 18- by-spot welding the pivot 11 thereto asindicated 'atl8'.

By this arrangement the paired plates Hand iii are caused to move together as a-unitary'structure whenthe closure is extended-or contracted. I At spaced intervals alongthe-entire-structure the pivot members I2 are' extended through a carriage 59 having trolley wheels I 9. the-pivot members being headed asat l2 to prevent downward displacement. The wheels l9-are adapted to travel on and be supported by acha'n'nel-member 26 having'inturned'tracks-2|. These-channel members may be projected from "one side member 22'of the'opening to be-closed-by"=the door and supported thereby in any suitable manner or the channel members may be secured to the top of the openingin any suitablamanner.

The side member 22 of the opening also has fastened on its face channel clip 23 which is adapted to telescopically receive a channel 24. Secured to this channel is a plurality of spaced apart pivot members 25. The opposite or closure member of the lazy tong structure comprises a hollow box-like member 21 which is vertically slotted to receive the hinge clips 28 in which the free ends of the lazy tongs are pivotally connected as at 29. A bumper which may be in the form of a rubber strip 30 is provided on the face of the box-like structure 21 being held in position by strips 3I in turn secured in position by screws 3I or any other suitable manner.

Fabric covers are provided for the structure, which covers are secured over opposite faces of said plates but short of the bars I so as not to interfere with the movement thereof. Each of these covers comprises a flexible covering which may be of fabric or any desired material 32 and 33. The ends of the fabric on the free end of the closure member are brought around the box 21 and are inturned over the free face of the box structure being glued and held in clamped position by the strips. Similarly at the anchored end of the structure the free ends of the fabric are brought around and glued to the channel 24 then clamped between the channel bars 24 and clips 23.

On those pairs of tongs II wherein the pin I2 is extended to be supported from a trolley the lower projecting end of the pin is screw threaded to receive nuts 34 which prevent vertical displacement of the pin relative to the tong plate I I.

In assembly it is, of course, desirable and in fact always necessary to provide some means for covering the top of the articulated door so that lazy tong bars, the trolley track, etc., will be hidden. To this end we provide a canopy which is made in two sections, one being adapted to be positioned on each side of the opening. Each of the sections of this canopy consists of a box-like structure having a top flat plate 35 which is bent downwardly at right angles to form a, side plate 36. This side plate extends downwagdly to beyond the upper edge of the closure portion of the door. An inner plate 31 having an angular fastening portion 38 projects between the top of the tong plates and the tong bars III. The portion 38 is preferably welded to the downturned face plate 36.

In those instances where the canopy structures are formed of more than one longitudinal section decorative cover plates 39 are secured on the face of plates 36 where the sections meet to cover the joint. These decorative cover plates are maintained in position by an inwardly and upwardly turned clamping edge 40.

For supporting the canopy in position we provide longitudinally spaced pairs of spring arms 4|, the mid-portion 42 of which is shaped to fit over the top of the track 20 and be secured in position with the track member when the same is secured to the top of the opening frame.

These spring arms are disposed at spaced intervals and in order to position each of the canopies it is merely necessary to slip the top plate 35 over the spring arms whereby they will be securely mounted in position although readily removable to permit access to the trolleys and working parts of the upper part of the frame.

In Fig. '1 we have shown a modification of the end member 21. In this structure the end member I21 is slotted as is the end member 21. The pivot member 29 is adapted to be mounted in a pair of pivotlugs I28 which are notched as at I29 and are turned at right angles from and form a part of a supporting plate I30. By this arrangement the supporting plate I39 may be slipped in the member I21 with the notches I29 accommodating the walls of the member I21. After the parts are in position the plates I39 may be secured in any desired manner as by spot welding. This structure makes an assembly which is readily placed in position during construction and which will provide a suitable pivot or hinge support.

In the structure shown in Fig. 8 the hinge joints for the plates II are shown with stop notches as at I3! which prevent a complete straightening of the leaves. Furthermore, in order that the pins I1 may be more securely welded to the plates II and I8 one finger I32 at least is made sufficiently long to partially wrap around the pin I1 and provide ample spot welding surface at this point.

It is to be noted that in Fig. 3 those pivot pins I2 which are adapted to be supported from the trolley are provided with nuts 34 to prevent vertical displacement. If desired these nuts may be dispensed with and the bottom ends of the pivot pins I2 may be swedged over as at I33 to lock the pins against vertical displacement.

In securing the fabric cover to the plates II and I8 it is desirable that this securing means should be blind and at the same time should be of a character which will permit quick application of the securing means in position. To this end the plates II and I8 are each provided with vertically spaced apart key hole slots M. on the under side of each of the fabric coverings 32 and 33 there is provided an attachment strip 42 which is adapted to lie against the plates I I and I8. For securing this strip in position we provide a securing pin which comprises a circular ring 43 having an inturned bar 44 bent outwardly at 45 to form a shank and then having a portion 46 parallel with the bar, which portion is pointed. This portion 46 provides a pin which may be passed through the securing strip 42 with the pin portion parallel with the shank portion of the keyhole slot so that the pin 46 will pass through the slot and the portion 45 through the opening or hole of the keyhole slot. When this is accomplished by turning the pin 46 at right angles to the keyhole slot the parts are securely locked together.

It is desirable that when the door is closed it should not have a tendency to roll back from the edge of the opening or when two sections are provided from the adjacent edge. Accordingly in the track portion H of the track We provide a hump 41 at the end of the travel of the trolley so that at least one wheel of the trolley will ride over this hump and accordingly be prevented from return movement although a slight push in moving the door towards closed position will cause the wheel to ride over the hump.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a flexible closure adapted to be extended and contracted, a lazy tong comprising a series of tong bars hingedly connected to each other at their adjacent ends and a series of depending fabric supporting tong plates hingedly connected to each other at their adjacent ends, said plates being spaced below said bars to prevent interference with the movement of said bars by the fabric supported by said plates, a hanger pin pivotally supporting said plates from said bars midway between their respective ends, a series of hingedly connected lower plates corresponding to and spaced below said tong plates paired therewith to lie in the same vertical planes respectively, a common hinge rod extending from the hinge connection of each adjacent tong plate to the hinge connection of each adjacent paired and spaced lower plate, each of said rods being rigidly secured to one tong plate and its paired lower plate to maintain their planetary relation as said closure is extended and contracted, and a fabric covering removably secured over opposite sides of said plates to extend over the space between the tong plates and their paired lower plates.

2. In a flexible closure adapted to be extended and contracted, a lazy tong comprising a series of tong bars hingedly connected to each other at their adjacent ends, a series of depending fabric supporting tong plates hingedly connected to each other at their adjacent ends and a hanger pin pivotally supporting said plates from said bars midway between their respective ends, said plates being spaced below said bars to prevent interference between the movement of said bars and the fabric supported by said plates, a fabric covering removably secured over opposite sides of said plates to extend downwardly therefrom and with the outer edge of said cover terminating in the space intermediate the upper edge of said plates and the lowermost of said bars, a fixed closure frame mounting and supporting track thereon, a trolley wheel carriage operating on said track and connected with said hanger pin, a canopy including oppositely disposed closure sections, each section comprising 4 a horizontal wall positioned above and terminating adjacent opposite sides of said trolley and a vertical wall extending downwardly beyond the upper edge of said fabric covering, means for removably securing the horizontal wall to said closure frame, and a tong bar concealing flange extending inwardly from the vertical wall between the upper edge of the fabric covering and the tong bars to adjacent said hanger pin.

3. In a flexible closure, a series of horizontally disposed tong bars pivotally connected end to end, a series of upper fabric supporting tong plates substantially equal in length with said bars disposed beneath said bars and with their upper edges in spaced parallel relationship with the latter, elongated hanger pins pivotally connecting the medial portions of said tong plates to said tong bars intermediate the ends of the latter, a series of lower plates corresponding in number and size to said tong plates in spaced parallelism and in the same plane with the latter, a common hinge rod connecting adjacent ends of said tong plates and hingedly connecting the corresponding ends of the said lower plates, and each of said hinge rods being rigidly secured to one tong plate and to the corresponding lower plate, whereby the planetary relationship of the tong plates and the lower plates will be maintained when the tong bars have been moved either to extended or retracted positions.

4. In a flexible closure, a series of horizontally disposed tong bars pivotally connected end to end, a series of upper fabric supporting tong plates substantially equal in length with said bars disposed beneath said bars and with their upper edges in spaced parallel relationship with the latter, elongated hanger pins pivotally connecting the medial portions of said tong plates to said tong bars intermediate the ends of the latter, means on said hanger pins interposed between said tong bars and said tong plates to maintain the bars and plates in spaced relationship, a series of lower plates corresponding in number and size to said tong plates in spaced parallelism and in the same plane with the latter, a common hinge rod connecting adjacent ends of said tong plates and hingedly connecting the corresponding ends of the said lower plates, and each of said hinge rods being rigidly secured to one tong plate and to the corresponding lower plate, whereby the planetary relationship of the tong plates and the lower plates will be maintained when the tong bars have been moved either to extended or retracted positions.

FRANK J. HOKE. RALPH W. REYNOLDS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 670,227 Gray Mar. 19, 1901 1,764,976 Phillips June 17, 1930 1,877,950 Nordell Sept. 20, 1932 2,151,033 Jones Mar. 21, 1939 2,321,491 Keys et al June 8, 1943 2,321,507 Oberdorfer et a1. June 8, 1943 2,448,800 Harju Sept. 7, 1948 2,512,736 Brenner et a1 June 27, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 8,778 Australia of 1932 626,312 Great Britain July 13, 1949 

